Chapter 53: The Mysterious Ladder to the Heavens

The pale moon rabbit, crouching to one side, was momentarily stunned as Ji Jiuxuan stepped toward the Heaven-reaching Stairway. Unable to restrain its curiosity, it asked, “Xuanxuan, are you planning to ascend the Heaven-reaching Stairway?”

Those who had experienced the stairway always said they were grateful that one need only climb it once; to do so a second time would drive a person mad. Such rumors alone were enough to hint at the agony involved.

The rabbit was puzzled. Ji Jiuxuan possessed the red identity token—such individuals had no need to ascend the stairway at all. Once she reached Foundation Establishment, she could proceed directly to the heart-devil trial.

“Yes, I’m just bored and doing it for fun.”

Damn this boredom—her luck had been so abysmal she could cry from frustration.

As Ji Jiuxuan set foot on the stairway, the disciples passing nearby were instantly astonished by her words.

To climb the Heaven-reaching Stairway out of boredom—perhaps only Ji Jiuxuan would do such a thing.

Yet, as the sect leader’s granddaughter, her first ascent was bound to attract attention. How long would she take? What would she encounter?

All those nearby stopped what they were doing, curiosity rooting them in place as they watched Ji Jiuxuan.

On the stairway, she felt the pressure around her intensify with every step, yet the trial of heart-demons she anticipated never appeared.

Perhaps it would manifest further up, she mused. Activating the Hualing Tempering Method within her body, she discovered the pressure seemed to be transformed, leaving her tingling but not truly uncomfortable.

Delighted by this, she continued upward, her steps growing lighter.

“Reminder to the host: if you don’t hurry, you may not finish all ten ascents before lectures at the Academy begin,” the system chimed in, prompting Ji Jiuxuan to unconsciously quicken her pace. The higher she climbed, the greater the force, and the more rapidly the Hualing Tempering Method worked within her.

Only now did Ji Jiuxuan recall, “System, isn’t the Academy timetable none of your business?”

She almost wanted to slow down out of spite, but had to admit the system was right.

Every lecture at the Academy yielded some benefit; she’d missed a few while visiting the Beast Tamer Sect, but now that she’d returned, she wouldn’t let herself miss out again.

So she walked even faster.

Those watching saw Ji Jiuxuan ascend the stairway at a remarkable speed, already more than halfway up without a single pause, a faint red glow shimmering about her.

Since the Heaven-reaching Stairway’s interior could not be observed unless under special circumstances, only the Vision Mirror could reveal its secrets.

But the Vision Mirror was reserved for the sect’s annual intake exams and would not be brought out otherwise.

When Ji Jiuxuan finally stepped off the last stair, she looked back in surprise. “Why didn’t any heart-demons appear?”

“Because you have none,” the system replied to her confusion.

She was both startled and perplexed. “Why not?”

Anyone who had lived in the mortal world would inevitably accumulate some mental demons. She had already lived a whole modern life and nearly four years in this world, with her share of experiences—yet she had none?

“The host’s spirit platform is spotless, thus no heart-demons can form,” the system explained.

A flawless spirit platform! She had forgotten this aspect; so that’s what it did!

“But I only have half of it—does it still work?” To think that just half granted such an effect! Ji Jiuxuan bit her lip in frustration—if only she’d drawn the complete version, how much stronger would it be?

“Does the host know what the other half is?”

Thinking for a moment, Ji Jiuxuan answered, “A steadfast Dao heart, a flawless spirit platform.”

For cultivators, only a firm Dao heart could ensure smooth progress in later stages—a rare and precious gift.

“Is your Dao heart truly unshakable?”

The system’s question made Ji Jiuxuan pause as she walked down the regular stairs toward the mountain’s base, thoughts churning before they finally settled.

“I want to become strong.”

Only by growing strong could she command respect and avoid being bullied, and only then could she protect those she cared about.

“Exactly! You plot against me every day just to get stronger, isn’t your Dao heart firm enough?” the system said, a hint of aggrievement in its tone. “With such determination and a flawless spirit platform, there’s no difference at all. As long as your resolve doesn’t waver, nothing will stand in your way.”

Ji Jiuxuan felt a little embarrassed—so the system knew it was being exploited! Still, thick-skinned as ever, she laughed. “Really? I don’t think so!”

When the crowd saw Ji Jiuxuan reappear at the stairway’s foot, they were even more astonished than when she first ascended.

“Xuanxuan, if you’re bored, I’ll take you somewhere else to play! This place isn’t fun,” the pale moon rabbit pleaded, genuinely believing that Ji Jiuxuan was only climbing the stairway out of boredom.

Normally, the Heaven-reaching Stairway was climbed just once—no one ever attempted a second time.

“No need, I find it quite entertaining. I’ve eaten my fill and just want to walk around,” Ji Jiuxuan said breezily, though inwardly she felt helpless.

She had only completed one ascent; nine more awaited her!

Her reply made everyone wonder if she truly understood what the stairway was. Otherwise, why behave so? But the speed of her first ascent had been downright terrifying.

On her second climb, Ji Jiuxuan was immediately pressed to the ground by the mounting force, as if she’d stumbled and fallen.

Something was wrong with the stairway—very wrong!

No one had ever heard of the stairway intensifying the second time around, but now the pressure pinned her down, and only by quickly channeling the Hualing Tempering Method could she ease the burden.

Gradually adapting, Ji Jiuxuan managed to stand and continue forward.

“System, is there something wrong with the stairway? Why is this happening? Will it get even harder for each of the eight remaining ascents?”

She could scarcely imagine what the pressure would be like by the tenth time.

“There’s nothing wrong. The stairway is designed this way—it responds to the condition of the one being tested. Since your tempering method improved you on the first run, the stairway increased the intensity this time,” the system explained.

Ji Jiuxuan still didn’t quite understand, “But isn’t it said that climbing the stairway more than once has little effect?”

Whether rumor or fact, no one who’d climbed it ever tried again.

“That may be true for others, but it’s different for you,” the system replied, anticipating her stubborn curiosity. “Your tempering method is linked to the stairway—it guides its function, so the stairway naturally assists you.”

To think her technique could influence the stairway itself left Ji Jiuxuan amazed. “What level is this method?”

She had never heard of anything like it.

“It is rankless—it lies beyond the scope of classification,” the system answered calmly, as if it were no big deal. “You’ll understand why in time; for now, it’s best not to explain.”

The air of mystery only deepened Ji Jiuxuan’s suspicions about the system’s origins.

Although it had been with her since birth and had enabled her reincarnation into this world, sometimes its actions made her doubtful.

“System, are you sure you’re a newly developed auxiliary system and not a native of this world?”